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Grab And Go Emergency Kit Guide

It is unfortunate that we currently live in uncertain times with more man made and natural disasters than usual. With uncertain times, comes unexpected situations that may require us to leave our homes in a hurry. This post is not meant to scare anyone but, intended to help us be prepared for any disaster, whether it be natural or man made. Preparedness is always good. These products and ideas can be applied to any situation like earthquakes, fires, floods, or in a worst case scenario, war.

When considering a quick and efficient escape, there are major necessities required. To follow, there are minor, but also pretty important items to keep in mind as well.

The Bare Necessities

Just like the song from Disney's Jungle Book, Baloo makes a few key points that are important. Like surviving an actual jungle, an urban jungle can be just as hard to survive in during a crisis. Let's take a look at a first and practical checklist!

Your Wits

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First on the survival table during an emergency is your wits! As adults, parents, young adults, etc., we need to remain calm. It's one of the best essentials as it's free and you can take it with you anywhere! It is crucial to stay calm during an emergency as panic can make you pretty useless and even a liability to others. Take a breath, think, and go, go, go!

Breathable Air

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Without air, plane and simple, we will not survive. I'm not saying that we will ever run out of air in a realistic emergency, but it is important to protect your lungs from dust, debris, smoke, ash, illness, and/or whatever else is thrown at you in an emergency. I would have to say the most important protection in a most likely case would be dust, debris, and smoke. Selecting protection can be a challenge as situations would vary. The following is what I would suggest from minor situations to extreme situations:

KN95 Masks

These are disposable masks, easy to fold, and compact enough to fit in practically any pocket, bag, purse, and glove compartment. What makes this different than the N95; they're made internationally and more affordable. That is about it. For the most part, this will protect you from particles, dust, allergens, viruses, and some smoke. (Small | Ideal for "go" situations | Very affordable)

N95 Masks

Very much like the KN95 as it is compact and protects from most things. These would be more ideal in a contagion situation or if you're looking for something with a little better quality. Also, they're American made. (Small | Ideal for "go" situations | Affordable)

Clean Water

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Another important necessity that can be very hard to find in an emergency. Any water source around these times can be questionable and/or hazardous. In general, a person can survive without water for three days. Without water you can become disoriented, confused, dehydrated or worse, which is not good for judgment calls when you need to make them. Here are some recommendations:

Bottled water

You can keep a case under the bed or by your exit however, it is heavy, cumbersome, and not really ideal for a grab and go situation. Maybe with a little adrenaline, it wouldn't be so bad. While I do not 100% recommend it, you can keep a case in your car. However, be aware leaving bottles in the car can leach chemicals into the water. Realistically though, anything safe-ish is better than nothing at all and, affects should not harm you unless you drink these out of habit on a regular basis. (Large | Not ideal for a "go" situations | Very affordable)

Water Straw Bottle

They're small, affordable, and "fun for the whole family". They are a compact solution for water filtration that's a little bigger than your average water bottle but, would be something you would normally take to the office or the gym. Even better, they fit in glove boxes, larger purses, and most bags. (Medium | Ideal for a "go" situations | Affordable)

Food

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Finding clean food can be as challenging as finding clean water. If there is a big emergency that knocks out power for a few blocks, or worse, then refrigerators aren't running, and things are starting to spoil. Additionally, supermarkets and convenience stores may either be flooded with people or simply closed for the same reasons. Mostly, I suggest building an emergency food pack yourself. Here's a few suggestions:

1. Be sure to pack plenty of pre-packaged, light weight, lightly salted, high protein snacks. This would include but not be excluded to:

2. Small canned food is ideal as they're lightweight. Look for things that are pre-cooked and have a long shelf life. Some examples:

3. Find things easy to cook if you're needing something more filling. This would be more ideal for a few days to weeks.

4. In the longer haul, and just like keeping water bottles in the car, it is not ideal to leave consumables in the car. Luckily, companies are developing food sources that can 100% be stored in a car safely without spoiling and without leaching. Luckily, most (not all) of what was listed can, so you can make a bag to keep in the car but, if you want filling meals in comparison, you can pack MREs individually or you can buy a MRE container/kit! Ideal examples: (Large bucket | Ideal for car trunk storage | Expensive) (Small pouch | Ideal for "go" situations | Affordable)

Power

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A little lower on the priority list for some but, a pretty good tool to have. It may be hard to find a place to charge a communication device like a phone or something like a radio. You'll need to have some power to keep up with the situation, what's being done, or to know of an evacuation location. You would also need these things for something as simple as having light. Standard power banks are great, but not on my list as you'll need to find a place to plug them in eventually. Here's my suggestions:

Solar Power Bank

Solar power I have to stay charges very slow however, during an emergency, some power is better than none. It's free to collect energy and all you have to depend on is the sun, which is very dependable. Solar power will charge even on the gloomiest days.

Ideal charger: This one contains all essential outlet types (USA standard). It is bigger and heavier, but well worth the bang for your buck! When you grab your go back, occupy the other hand with this baby. (Medium - Large | Ideal for "go" situations | Expensive)
Compact and for the individual: If you're planning to just take something that can fit in your go bag and your only concern is really your phone or USB devices, this may be a good alternative for you. I personally own it and love it! It has a power LED light built in, four solar panels, and a robust 38800mAh battery for a very long life span. The best part, I can fit into almost any bag, purse, and backpack. (Small | Ideal for "go" situations | Affordable)

Crank Power Bank

My crank radio choice: It requires a little more work however, it gets you a little bit faster results. The best part, you get AM/FM radio. In a crisis digital signals or cell service may be out so you may need to rely on the good old fashioned AM/FM signals. (Small - Medium | Ideal for "go" situations | Affordable)

Paracord

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First of all, what is paracord? In short, parachute cord. It's lightweight, durable, and braided. It can ideally be used for a strong makeshift shelter, stretcher, brace, and more! Cutting the paracord open reveals even more small strands that can be used for the same thing. It even has medical applications like tourniquets for example. (Small | Ideal for "go" situations or car trunk storage | Affordable)

First Aid

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This one is a bit of a no brainer. You want a first aid kit that can be small enough to be kept in your bag or ideally, in the trunk of your car. When getting a kit you want something that has bandages, gauze, and sterilization like alcohol wipes, gloves, ect. Here's one I personally own: (Small - Medium | Ideal for "go" situations or car trunk storage | Affordable)

A Good Knife

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A knife is not a weapon, at least for the intention of what we're building here. It is a tool! I feel every adult should always carry a multi-purpose emergency knife with them. You want a knife that can break glass, cut things, saw things, and have a seat belt cutter. Whether big or small, this knife can be handy for a makeshift shelter or even cutting the seatbelt when involved in a car crash. This is what I'd suggestions:

Ideal option: (Small | Ideal for every day carry | Affordable)
Affordable option: (Small | Ideal for every day carry | More Affordable)

Additional Quick Tips

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To add to your go back and trunk storage make sure you have the following:

One or two extra sets of clothing. (Trunk)
A package of toilet paper (1 or 2 rolls in the bag or the whole package in the trunk)
Pillow (Trunk)
Required medications like for diabetes, asthma, or other conditions (In the go bag)
Cash. I would suggest $400 to $1000 (In the go bag)

What to avoid! (I'll keep this simple)

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1. Packing heavy. If you're on foot or in a rush to leave the house, packing heavy can really cause some problems and delays. If you feel this is necessary, maybe store these items in a shed or container that is in a cool place outside your house. Another option, which I prefer, is storing the heavier stuff in the trunk of the car.

2. Unhealthy snacks are a no go. Super salty or sugary items can make you more thirsty or even more hungry.

3. Do not get foods that are hard to cook. If it doesn't say "just add water", "pre-cooked" or something of that nature, then it may either go to waste or not be usable.

In The End (NOT THAT END)

In the end, these are just suggestions. You can go as minimal or hardcore as you feel necessary. The point of a "go bag" is to not only prepare for the worse but for any disaster you may find yourself in. To get up and go, be prepared, is the most efficient thing you can do during an emergency. As little as a fender bender or as big as an earthquake. Better to be prepared and not need something than to not absolutely need something and not be prepared.

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